Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clarksville, TN
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 14 of 22 categories
Clarksville
Tennessee
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
167,882
Virginia Beach
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Homes cost $131k less ($213,200 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $449/mo less ($1,119 vs $1,568)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Virginia Beach
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $24,856/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.3%)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
77% less violent crime than Clarksville
Households earn $24,856 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Clarksville
Key Differences at a Glance
Clarksville
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Home Value
$131k less
$213,200 vs $343,700
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$24,856
$87,544 vs $62,688/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
77% lower
92.3 vs 410.0 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clarksville, TN | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $213,200 ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,119 ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,688 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.7 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.9% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.3% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.8°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.9°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 167,882 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarksville's cost of living index is 94.3 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 14 of 22 categories. Clarksville wins 8 and Virginia Beach wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Clarksville to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,200 vs $343,700 median home), income ($62,688 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clarksville, TN and Virginia Beach, VA are about 627 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.